Police Arrest Three for Trying to Sell Fake Giants Tickets

UPDATED | The New York Police Department arrested three men on Tuesday for selling fake tickets to this Sunday’s New York Giants home game against the Dallas Cowboys, a law-enforcement official said.

Officers in plain clothes from the 17th Precinct — which mostly covers Turtle Bay to Murray Hill — set up a meeting with the seller inside the lobby of 666 Third Ave., an office building, after receiving a tip about ripoff passes being sold for $100 each, the official said.

Inside the lobby, police arrested Noel Cleaver, 25 years old, the official said.

Two accomplices remained inside a Toyota that was parked outside the lobby, the official said. A sergeant went up to the vehicle and to question them, and noticed the man sitting on the passenger side, Shawndale Lewis, 27, had a stack of fake Giants tickets, the official said.

Mr. Lewis jumped out of the car and ran north — the sergeant chased him, the official said. On. East 42nd Street between Second and Third avenues, the sergeant was hit by a car, the official said. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital and released. A lieutenant responding to the same call arrested Mr. Lewis shortly after, the official said.

Police also arrested the man sitting in the driver’s seat, Sergio Mercado, 23, the official said. Both Mr. Cleaver and Mr. Lewis have prior arrests for selling fake tickets to sporting events and for carrying loaded weapons, the official said.

Mr. Cleaver and Mr. Mercado were charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument and petit larceny.
Mr. Lewis was charged with assault of a police officer, criminal possession of a forged instrument, petit larceny and resisting arrest.